Randomized Trial of Macitentan/Tadalafil Single-Tablet Combination Therapy for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

Background: Endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA) and phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor (PDE5i) combination therapy is recommended for low-/intermediate-risk pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients. A fixed-dose combination of the ERA macitentan and PDE5i tadalafil (M/T FDC) in a once-daily, single tablet would simplify treatment.

Objectives: The multicenter, double-blind, adaptive phase 3 A DUE study investigated the efficacy and safety of M/T FDC vs macitentan 10 mg and vs tadalafil 40 mg monotherapies in PAH patients, including treatment-naïve and prior ERA or PDE5i monotherapy-treated patients.

MMP-7 is a predictive biomarker of disease progression in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive interstitial lung disease with poor prognosis, which is characterised by destruction of normal lung architecture and excessive deposition of lung extracellular matrix. The heterogeneity of disease progression in patients with IPF poses significant obstacles to patient care and prevents efficient development of novel therapeutic interventions. Blood biomarkers, reflecting pathobiological processes in the lung, could provide objective evidence of the underlying disease.

Macitentan for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: the randomised controlled MUSIC trial.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive, fatal disease. This prospective, randomised, double-blind, multicentre, parallel-group, placebo-controlled phase II trial (NCT00903331) investigated the efficacy and safety of the endothelin receptor antagonist macitentan in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Eligible subjects were adults with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis of <3 years duration and a histological pattern of usual interstitial pneumonia on surgical lung biopsy.

BUILD-3: a randomized, controlled trial of bosentan in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Rationale: A previous trial of bosentan in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) showed a trend to delayed IPF worsening or death. Also, improvements in some measures of dyspnea and health-related quality of life were observed.

Objectives: To demonstrate that bosentan delays IPF worsening or death.

Bosentan treatment of digital ulcers related to systemic sclerosis: results from the RAPIDS-2 randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Objectives: Ischaemic digital ulcers (DUs) are common in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and are a cause of disease-related morbidity. In an earlier trial, treatment with bosentan, an oral endothelin receptor antagonist, reduced the occurrence of new DUs by 48%. The present study (RAPIDS-2, for 'RAndomized, double-blind, Placebo-controlled study with bosentan on healing and prevention of Ischemic Digital ulcers in patients with systemic Sclerosis') was conducted to more fully evaluate the effects of bosentan treatment on DUs associated with SSc.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of high-dose bosentan in patients with stage IV metastatic melanoma receiving first-line dacarbazine chemotherapy.

Background: The endothelin system is implicated in the pathogenesis of melanoma. We evaluated the effects of bosentan - a dual endothelin receptor antagonist - in patients receiving first-line dacarbazine therapy for stage IV metastatic cutaneous melanoma in a phase 2, proof-of-concept study.

Results: Eligible patients had metastatic cutaneous melanoma naïve to chemotherapy or immunotherapy, no central nervous system involvement, and serum lactate dehydrogenase <1.

Pharmacokinetic and clinical profile of a novel formulation of bosentan in children with pulmonary arterial hypertension: the FUTURE-1 study.

What Is Already Known About This Subject: * Exposure to bosentan was lower in paediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients treated with the marketed adult formulation at a dose of about 2 mg kg(-1) when compared with adult PAH patients. * In healthy adult subjects, bosentan pharmacokinetics are less than dose-proportional at doses of >or=500 mg.

What This Study Adds: * The pharmacokinetics of a new paediatric bosentan formulation were characterized in paediatric PAH patients.

Bosentan for treatment of inoperable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: BENEFiT (Bosentan Effects in iNopErable Forms of chronIc Thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension), a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

Objectives: Our goal was to investigate the effect of treatment with the oral dual endothelin receptor antagonist bosentan on the hemodynamics and exercise capacity of patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH).

Background: CTEPH is characterized by vascular obstruction and remodeling, leading to increased pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). Although pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) is potentially curative, medical therapy is needed in patients with inoperable disease or persistent/recurrent pulmonary hypertension after PEA.

A phase II study of bosentan, a dual endothelin receptor antagonist, as monotherapy in patients with stage IV metastatic melanoma.

There is no effective systemic therapy for disseminated metastatic melanoma. Data suggest that endothelin may play a role in pathophysiology of melanoma and that the dual endothelin receptor antagonist bosentan may have anti-tumor activity. This multicenter, open-label, single-arm, prospective, proof-of-concept study assessed the effects of bosentan monotherapy (500 mg oral tablets, bid) on tumor response in patients with stage IV metastatic melanoma.

Effects of long-term bosentan in children with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Objectives: This study investigated the long-term outcome of children with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) treated with bosentan therapy, with or without concomitant prostanoid therapy.

Background: Bosentan, an oral endothelin ET(A)/ET(B) receptor antagonist, improves hemodynamics and exercise capacity in adults with PAH; however, limited data are available on its long-term effects in children.

Methods: In this retrospective study, 86 children with PAH (idiopathic, associated with congenital heart or connective tissue disease) started bosentan with or without concomitant intravenous epoprostenol or subcutaneous treprostinil therapy.

Irinotecan plus gemcitabine results in no survival advantage compared with gemcitabine monotherapy in patients with locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer despite increased tumor response rate.

Purpose: This phase III, randomized, open-label, multicenter study compared the overall survival associated with irinotecan plus gemcitabine (IRINOGEM) versus gemcitabine monotherapy (GEM) in patients with chemotherapy-naive, locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer.

Patients And Methods: IRINOGEM patients received starting doses of gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m2 and irinotecan 100 mg/m2 given weekly for 2 weeks every 3-week cycle. GEM patients received gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m2 weekly for 7 of 8 weeks (induction) and then weekly for 3 of 4 weeks.